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Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Conceptual Frameworks and Scenarios Analysis for the H2020 'SUStainable Food And Nutrition Security (SUSFANS)

Location: School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford

Salary: £38,511 - £45,954 p.a.

Application Deadline: 30 April 2015

The Environmental Change Institute's 'Food Systems Programme' is contributing to the University of Oxford's broad view of food systems by increasing understanding of the two-way interactions between food security and environmental change.

They are seeking to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Assistant who will work as part of the Programme team with specific emphasis on helping to deliver the Horizon 2020 SUSFANS WP1 (Conceptual framework and FNS sustainability metrics) and the scenario review element of WP6. This will entail special emphasis on developing metrics for sustainable food systems and the use of foresight exercises in sustainable food and nutrition security in Europe. The post will involve limited travel within UK and Europe.

The successful applicant will have extensive experience of developing and testing conceptual frameworks and the ability to synthesise a range of knowledge types. You must have a PhD or equivalent in agriculture, nutritional, environmental sciences or related fields. The postholder will have experience in multi stakeholder and stakeholder engagement processes and of contributing to publications and presentations.

Less experienced candidates will be considered, but may be appointed on a lower salary scale (Grade 7: £30,434 - £37,394 p.a.) with an appropriate adjustment of duties.

This is a fixed-term post for 24 months.

The closing date for applications is 12.00 noon on 30 April 2015, and interviews will be held in Oxford during the week beginning 11 May 2015.

About the SUSFANS project:

Metrics, Models and Foresight for European SUStainable Food And Nutrition Security (SUSFANS)

Strengthening food and nutrition security (FNS) in the EU requires a move towards a diet that supports sustainable food consumption and production. To gauge the policy reforms needed for this major societal challenge, the H2020-funded SUSFANS Consortium will identify how food production and nutritional health in the EU can be better aligned. The multidisciplinary research agenda of SUSFANS will build the conceptual framework, the evidence base and analytical tools for underpinning EU-wide food policies with respect to their impact on consumer diet and their implications for nutrition and public health, the environment, the competitiveness of the EU agri-food sectors, and global FNS. Based on a conceptual model of the food chain and its stakeholders, SUSFANS will develop suitable metrics and identify major drivers for sustainable FNS, integrate data and modelling, and develop foresight for European sustainable FNS. Case studies and scenarios based on stakeholder input from consumers, food industry, farmers/fishermen, government and the scientific community are instrumental in achieving this goal.